Chasing the Pirate Fleet.
Adair had just come on deck when Jack jumped overboard to save Murray, and he was on the point of jumping in after him, when his arm was seized, and he found himself held back by Captain Grant.
“You would uselessly risk your life, Adair!” exclaimed the captain. “Lower that gig; be sharp about it: you may go in her.”
Several men with Adair had instantly flown to the boat nearest them, and, under the direction of the captain, were lowering her, when the after-fall gave way, and up she hung by the bows, most of her gear falling into the water, as did one of the two men in her. He was a good swimmer, and struck out boldly to keep up alongside the ship, but the current was too strong for him, and before a rope could be heaved to him, he gradually dropped astern. The fall had been injured by one of the enemy’s shot. Another boat was now lowered, but in consequence of the darkness, and the disarrangement incidental to the work in which the men had been engaged, more delay than usual occurred. At last the boat was lowered and manned, and Adair and Mr Cherry jumping into her, away they pulled to pick up, in the first place, the poor fellow who had just fallen into the water. They shouted out his name: a faint cry reached their ears. He had already got a long way from the ship; it took some time before they could find him. He must have sunk once, and they caught him just as he came up again; he was insensible when they hauled him into the boat. Adair wanted to go on, but Mr Cherry said that he feared the man would die if they did, and that it was his duty to carry him on board.
“I fear, too, that there is but little chance of our picking up the other two poor fellows,” he observed. “They must have drifted a long way by this time, and can scarcely have kept afloat.”
“You don’t know, sir, what a superb swimmer Jack Rogers is,” exclaimed Adair: “he will keep up for an hour or more; I have no fear on that score. Let us get this man on board, and we will soon find him.”
Terence had never in his life felt so deeply anxious as he now did. The boat rapidly returned to the ship, the nearly drowned man was hoisted on deck, and then once more they shoved off, and fast as the men could bend to their oars, they pulled in the direction it was supposed Murray and Jack must have drifted.
The fire-ships were still blazing away as the boat approached them. “I think that they cannot be far from here,” said Mr Cherry. “Steady now, lads; paddle gently; keep a look out on either side, all of you.”
Terence however thought that they might have drifted farther on.
“Rogers, ahoy!” he stood up and shouted; “Jack Rogers, where are you?”